"Wellington Statue a real Scottish conehead " Topic

" Hats off to Lord Wellington! Such a tribute was certainly in style two centuries ago, after the British success at the Battle of Waterloo. And though that victory over Emperor Napoleon's forces in Belgium occurred in June 1815, residents and visitors alike in Scotland's largest city continue to salute Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington.

But as you approach a statue of "The Iron Duke" in front of the Gallery of Modern Art on Royal Exchange Square, you soon see that's no hat perched on his head. It's, um, a plastic traffic cone! A big one.

And strange as it may seem, the bright orange road marker is there to stay. Mostly…"

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See here
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Amicalement
Armand

Yes, Armand, I think that a lot of troops who served so well under His Grace would have laughed at the sight of their leader with a traffic cone on his head. Me, too.

Not so, perhaps the French, were they to see the "desecration" of a statue of Napoleon.

Case in point: I recently read a French blog about a group of French civilians making a "pilgrimage" to the memorials of their hero on the occasion of their mourning Waterloo, which Napoleon very nearly won.

They posed in front of Gerome's famous statue to Waterloo, which they called "L'aigle blesse" (the wounded eagle). Of course, that is not the name of the statue, which is "L'aigle expirant" (the dying eagle). (Chicagoans can [or could] see a copy of this figure in the Art Institute). Perhaps they hope for a resurrection?

Cheers,
Phil

Oh, Phil, behave.

Makes you proud to be Irish, as he was of course! I suspect he would have found it amusing too, if only to still be remembered over 150 years after his death……

And amused to be thought of as Irish, I suspect.

Yes, it is funny and I would laugh had it been done to a statue of Napoleon. However, I have too much respect for those who fought in the past and don't like it when people do this, for whatever reason. It shows a lack of interest in history and historical characters and is more likely the result a drunken challenge than anything else.

But I also think the money side has come into things, as it so often seems to do nowadays, in that, after the petition, they probably realised they would save a lot of money and time if they let the cone stay on. Fun for a one off, but to keep doing it and organising a massive petition so that 'fun people' can still keep doing it, is a sad indication of our times and the power of the internet.

deadhead

I'm not sure placing a traffic cone on a statue of Wellington's head is a sign of anyone remembering him. I doubt they knew who he was and most people only know of him when Napoleon or Waterloo is mentioned.

PhilinYuma… my friend… I agree about your sense of humor… I was at the "L'aigle expirant" some times and it's moving… but about the French… they don't like Napoleon as you think… mostly ignore him or rejected him… (my experience when I lived in France)… only a few are fans of him…

About the "modifications" of great statues… there is a link showing how in France they made things like this or much worse… (smile).

Amicalement
Armand

Gazzola …you are right.

History knowledge these days. Waterloo, if anything, is a Bridge, a Station or a TV soap opera……

Tango's link is missing! (grin)

And amused to be thought of as Irish, I suspect.

If you're thinking of the infamous "not everything born in a stable is a horse" quote, he himself never said it, nor anything like it. It was said about him (twice) by Daniel O'Connell, who was trying to establish the idea that "if you don't think like us, you can't be one of us" – a form of racism that still exists in some (not all) Irish Nationalist circles to this day.

The Duke promoted Emancipation as a "debt of honour" owed to Irish Catholics for their support during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars – and even fought a duel over it, indirectly; he promoted unattached/impecunious Irish officers (in many cases through the Portuguese army); and fostered a kind of love-hate relationship with the Irish regiments of his army in Spain.

Supercillius Maximus

Right…and er, what did you think of new headgear the Duke has been wearing recently, or rather, forced to wear?

I thought you summed it up pretty well.

No. SM I am aware of the context of the stable/ horse quotation. Nowithstanding W's advocacy of Emancipation and support of impecunious Irish officers (did he help English or Scots n similar plight?) do we know to what degree he considered himself an Irishman?

Okay I give up. What's Wellington being an Irishman got to do with his new hat?

Flanker:
" do we know to what degree he considered himself an Irishman?"

As a protestant member of the Anglo Irish ascendancy, and not in need of the relief that he finally advocated for Irish Catholics, I very much doubt that Wellington regarded himself as Irish at all, except by an accident of birth, any more than did the scions of the Anglo Indian ascendancy in Delhi regard themselves as Indian.

On the other hand, English ex pats tended to be looked down on by "true" Englishmen of their class, who had had the good sense to be born in England, even though the former were, like Wellington, usually educated in England.

The Wellesley's were often disparaged by their British-born peers as "Irish upstarts", and the matter was made worse for those who served as officers in India. Prejudice against such officers was exemplified by the unexceptional views that Cardigan entertained toward such officers, and continued at least through the beginning of the twentieth century. Napoleon's reference to Wellington as a "sepoy general" was almost certainly derived from British usage.

As for biographical evidence, Elizabeth Longford. in Wellington: The years of the Sword, does not address the subject and neither does Liddell Hart in his chapter on Wellington in Famous British Generals, but perhaps someone else can give a more definitive answer.

Cheers,
Phil

Still waiting to discover what the heck Welly being an Irishman has to do with his new hat?

It is how these postings evolve. There is a "rambling" element to them.

The topic has been done to death on here before (blowed if I can find it, even after trying local and Google search!)

Because I have an Irish passport, despite 61 years of living as a guest in the UK….educated at local expense…..5 years at medical school, on a full grant (because my folks moved here, solely because of being broke) from UK tax payers' debits………..

God Bless Ireland and God Bless how the "English" have welcomed us into their shores for many generations.

deadhead

Like all debatable topics, it will keep popping up again and again. I guess we're just a load of Napoleonic masochists.

Personally, I see no problem with a Corsican thinking he is French and leading the French and an Irishman thinking he is English and leading the English.

In terms of Welly's new hat, the problem might be solved if someone added a bicorne to the statue's head. Be hard to stick a cone on that.

genius…problem instantly solved. No problem in Edinburgh! Head is too big for any traffic cone………..

deadhead

You do realise that you may well have just set up a challenge. Will Edinburgh try to equal the infamous feat of Glasgow? Will Welly's head be too big. Will Welly be protected? Watch this space….

Still waiting to discover what the heck Welly being an Irishman has to do with his new hat?

Just a thought, but it's Glasgow – lots of "Irish" Catholics there who might believe disfiguring his statue supports "the cause" in some way.

Or, as you say, it's just some drunken a---hole with no sense of civic pride.

Supercilus Maximus

Perhaps they do have a sense of civic pride? Perhaps they would prefer a statue of a Scottish personality, as opposed to an Irish (or Anglo-Irish)one? And perhaps a political point is being made here rather than it just being a fun thing or alcoholic challenge?

And is it really the start of something sinister-first they wanted to rule themselves, then they want to replace English statues-oh heck, whatever next? LOL

"BBC reported the city was spending $20,000 USD removing about 100 cones a year"
So it costs $200 USD for someone to take a 10' pole and knock the cone off?

Murvihill

I guess that suggests Wellington has met his Waterloo. LOL

Perhaps they should consider painting the cone black, so that it does not stand out as much, if they can't find a way to prevent them being placed on Welly's head?

I have just discovered that a little bit of disrespect and mockery can work wonders. It appears that the image of the statue with a traffic cone on Welly's head (and sometimes his horse) has become a bit of a tourist attraction and the image has even been found in travel and tourist books. So Welly fans should thank those who have been placing the cones on his head.

Thinking about the tourist potential of Welly wearing a traffic cone, I wonder if the manufacturers of the Dwarf Napoleon, discussed in the Nap Discussion board, would consider making a Wellington miniature with a traffic cone on his head? That would be hilarious but would certainly sell, especially in Glasgow. Think of all those potential tourist customers, never mind the wargamers. However, if anyone is aware that someone has already made them, please let us know or post a picture of the miniature if possible.